


Spandex is for amateurs

by therockiestroad



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-21 07:56:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9538724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/therockiestroad/pseuds/therockiestroad
Summary: Blueliner was pretty cute for a superhero, but then again so was Derek Nurse...





	

Dex had known his day was going to be awful. Nothing bad had actually happened that morning, but there was that feeling in the pit of his stomach. That all too familiar feeling that meant he’d run into him today, which meant Dex left his place wary of everything and everyone. 

He was right to be suspicious. 

Dex’s face was pressed down into the disgusting carpet, a heavy boot resting on his back. The boot, sitting heavily on an old bruise, was an uncomfortable pressure that got worse the longer it was there. He crushed the urge to shift and lay stiffly on the ground. It wasn’t even lunch yet and his day had gone to shit.

“Hurry up, Chad! That’s enough for now. We gotta get out of here before-“ 

The Chad at the till let out a cry of “Chad!” as the boot, and attached Chad, flew off of Dex and into the wall. He was wrestled to the ground, quickly cuffed, and Money Chad darted for the bank entrance. Before he made it beyond a few steps, Money Chad was trussed up like his partner. It was over in the blink of an eye. 

Honestly, what was wrong with these guys.

A strong hand reached down, offering help getting off the nasty floor. Dex took it with a sigh, already regretting taking this repair job. His work had doubled in the last ten minutes.

Blueliner pulled him up with such force that Dex stumbled into his arms with an oof. Police sirens grew louder, and the other hostages clambered to their feet. Strong hands cradled Dex, giving his arm a gentle squeeze, before his hands dropped away.

He winked at Dex, “Where there’s a Will, there’s a crime.” He crossed his arms, peering at Dex in fake concern. “Are you sure you’re not stalking me, Will? I seem to be saving you a lot lately.” 

Dex rolled his eyes hard. “Har har. You’re a riot. Don’t you have somewhere to be, like, I don’t know, the police station?” He gestured to the two Chads waiting patiently on the bank floor. They shrugged, like carry on bros, it’s cool.

Right, thanks Chads. 

As fond as he was of Blueliner, Dex was not in the mood right now. His mouth still tasted faintly of old carpet, and Blue’s appearance had only meant more work for him. To top it all off, the bruise was still aching.   
He had been fixing the bank up from the last time it was robbed by some Chads, but Blueliner had come crashing through the newly repaired window after the other Chads had knocked through the door and shot the ceiling a couple times. You’d think people would try to be a bit more considerate. 

Granted, he’d be out of a job if that actually happened, but it’d be nice for at least some consideration once in a while. It was annoying to be wrenched from his work right when he was getting in the groove. 

“I suppose you have a point, Will. What would I ever do without you?” said Blueliner, smirk going a little soft at the edges. He reached out to touch Dex’s hair. “You’ve got a little – there you go. Good as new, bro.” He brushed off the plaster Dex had been working with earlier.

“Gee, thanks, bro.” 

Of course he was covered in plaster and general post-hostage grossness. Typical. 

Blueliner, on the other hand, always seemed to look flawless at every crime scene, like he had accidentally strolled over from a superhero themed GQ shoot. His black suit was form hugging, but practical, and clearly expertly made. He only covered his face with a domino mask, leaving his sharp jawline and killer cheekbones bare to the world. 

And no, that was not Dex being biased. The internet and Providence completely agreed with him. There were entire blogs dedicated to him and he routinely made the news for both his heroics and good looks. Blue was a man born for the camera.

It was completely unfair, and Dex was frustratingly attracted to a man that dressed up in a costume to fight people. Why did he ever move to Providence? This shit didn’t happen back home. 

“Alright, Mr. Blueliner, whenever you’re ready now. Just remove these criminals and I can get back to doing my job. Something that you probably have and should be doing right now.” Dex nodded back at the Chads, who were now whispering and looking at Blue with awe. 

“Justice is the only job I need, fair citizen. And please, Blue is just fine,” he said, solemn with mock grandiose, before cracking. “You should’ve seen your face, man! I don’t think you’ve ever been so unimpressed.” Blue giggled, inordinately pleased with himself, striking Dex dumb with his smile. His dimples should be illegal.

“Good lord, just leave.” 

\- 

Dex had moved to Providence after he graduated from Samwell to be with the rest of the Samwell alums. It was one of the best and worst decisions he had ever made. He liked Providence for the most part, but he did not sign up for this hero business. 

It seemed like ever since he moved here he ran into Blueliner all the time. Last Saturday night he’d run into an attempted mugging and, before he could intervene, Blueliner dropped from above and incapacitated the guy with a fancy kick. After securing the offender, he saw Dex lingering and sidled over to play Concentration before the cops pulled up.

The week before that Dex had been at the store picking up some vegetables for his stirfry that night when a masked woman burst through the automatic doors. She ran through the aisle Dex was in, making for the back exit, and Blueliner crashed through after her, passing by with a wink. Boxes had fallen from the shelves, cans were scattered on the floor, and about a dozen glass bottle were broken on the floor. Dex hooked his basket on his arm, stepped over a puddle, and questioned the sanity of living in Providence.

-

It was early Saturday morning and, for once, Dex woke up before his alarm. The sun shone brightly through the blinds, painting strips of light across his bed. He lay there for a moment and drowsily reached to turn off his alarm before it could off. 

He stretched, starfishing under the sheets, before rolling out of bed. It was the perfect day to go running and he wasn’t going to waste it. Today felt bright in a way that the rest of the week hadn’t. He went through his morning routine with a little more energy than usual, the nice weather boosting his mood. 

Barely anyone was out when Dex began jogging to the local park. The brisk air was the perfect extra wakeup and he could feel energy thrumming through his body. Blasting music, he lengthened his stride and relished the building burn. There was nothing like an old fashioned run outside.

Dex started to turn back once he hit the duck pond, circling it once before retracing his steps. He quickly snapped a photo of some fluffy ducklings and sent it to Lardo, receiving an ‘!!!!’ almost immediately. Mission accomplished. Grinning, he picked up his pace, already thinking of scrambled eggs and coffee. 

“On your left.”

Of course.

Blueliner jogged alongside Dex, his smile infectious. He ran easily without a single sign of fatigue. 

“Really? Are you really going to Captain America me?” panted Dex, incredulous. The guy was running in perfect form, still in his suit, and it was doing things to Dex’s everything.

“Nah, bro. I’ll do you one better.” Blueliner smirked, then spun on his foot and continued running backwards, keeping pace easily with Dex. He felt his mouth hanging open unattractively and shut it with a click. 

Dex narrowed his eyes, “Show off.” All he got was a wink in return. They continued running like that, Blueliner occasionally checking that he wasn’t going to run into anyone. The silence stretched on and Dex realized that he was getting a superhero escort home. They were gathering a few stares from the few people out and about, but Blue didn’t seem to notice at all. 

Dex couldn’t take it anymore and broke the silence. “I don’t understand. Why me?”

“Excuse me?” he asked innocently.

“You know exactly what I mean. Unless you escort everyone home when you spot them on their run,” Dex said dryly. 

“Maybe I do. Maybe that’s what I do in my free time.” Dex shot him an unimpressed look and Blue laughed. “You’re the only one for me, babe. No need to be jelly.” He paused, “well, actually I do escort people home if they’re distressed, but no one’s as cute as you.” He winked again and Dex’s heart skipped a beat. At this rate, Dex would develop a fucking heart condition. He shouldn’t be allowed to be cheesy look so good. 

But two can play at that game. Dex fluttered his lashes obnoxiously. “Oh, gosh Blue, you sly devil.” He pretended to swoon, hand dramatically resting on his forehead. 

Blue abruptly stopped and Dex stuttered to a stop next to him.

“You finally called me Blue,” he said.

Dex hadn’t realized that was something so noteworthy, but based on Blue’s shocked expression he clearly thought it was. To be honest, Dex had been referring to him as Blue in his head for weeks now. If he knew it meant so much to the guy, he might’ve used the nickname earlier. 

“I mean, you kept on insisting on it, so –“ 

“No, it’s great. It’s, I like it.” Blue seemed to snap out of whatever shock he was in and switched back to his standard flirty mode. “I don’t let just anyone call be Blue, babe.” Dex flushed to his roots. What was it about this guy that got Dex all flustered, especially with such horrible lines. Maybe he was too easy for gray-green eyes and a lazy smile. 

Their breath was loud in the silence. He had stopped closer to Blue than he had originally thought. This close Dex could see the flecks of emerald in his eyes, watched as his eyes kept darting down to Dex’s mouth. He bite his lip experimentally and watched in fascination as Blue’s eyes widened, zeroed in on his mouth. His breath hitched when Blue reached out slowly and gently cupped his face. 

Blue searched his eyes frantically as Dex leaned into the touch. “Is this alright?” Dex nodded, a touch desperately. 

His hand shifted and the texture sent a shiver through Dex. The rough pad of the glove thumb caught on Dex’s bottom lip. Blue huffed a little, “You’re going to be the death of me, man.” 

“That’s chill,” breathed Dex, and Blue let out a strangled but joyful laugh. Any sign of indecision in his eyes was gone and Blue nudged closer, telegraphing his movements should Dex change his mind. The kiss was gentle and exploring. Pulling Blue closer, Dex ran his hand up his shoulders and tangled his fingers in Blue’s soft hair. An accidental tug had Blue gasping into his mouth and Dex licked and deepened the kiss. 

-

Questionable decision to live in Providence aside, it was actually great living here. Dex was able to find a job relatively painlessly working for a superhero repairs company, and he found a decently priced apartment not too far from the local bakery where Bitty worked. Occasionally in the evenings, Bitty got permission to host their friends there, and it was one of the less stressful parts of his day. 

Then there was Derek Nurse. 

He met Nursey after he finally finished moving into his new apartment and went to visit Bitty at the bakery. Nursey was hanging out by the counter, stirring milk and sugar into his coffee, and Bitty cheerfully introduced them, inviting them to stop by after that evening to hang out.

Nursey had apparently made quick friends with everyone after meeting Lardo and Bitty at one of Lardo’s art shows that Bitty was catering. He was a fixture now at the bakery when he wasn’t tutoring kids in English and working on getting his PhD. The guy was crazy busy and yet Dex seemed to run into him more than should be normal. 

More than once he’d run into Nursey while walking back from the grocery store. He’d insist on walking Dex home, usually claiming that Providence’s increasing population of Chads might try to steal his tomatoes. He’d resisted halfheartedly the first time out of principle, but he honestly didn’t mind the company. It didn’t hurt that Nursey had stunning eyes, a dorkish sense of humor, and an honorable heart. Sometimes he even tried to carry Dex’s groceries, but Dex learned quickly that Nursey was too clumsy to be trusted with anything requiring coordination.

-

Dex turned the corner and came upon the bakery. It looked like everyone was already inside. The lights had been dimmed, creating a cozy atmosphere, and Dex hurried in from the cold.

Bitty was testing new pie recipes and had invited everyone over for tea and pie tasting. The bell jingled as Dex pushed open the door, a gust of cold air following him in, and everyone stopped talking all at once. Not at all suspicious, Dex pulled off his hat and scarf, tucking them into his pockets, and hung his coat of the rack.

He eyed them all a little warily. “Hey, I hope you guys haven’t eaten all the pie yet.” Holster grinned from where he was draped in Ransom’s lap, hoarding three slices of pie. He looked like a chipmunk with bulging cheeks. 

“Oh good you’re here, Dex. I’ve got a ton of slices all ready for you. You might want to sit down.” Bitty smiled, coming around the counter with various plates balanced on his arms. Dex could feel everyone’s eyes on him as he took a couple plates and sat beside Nursey on the couch. He smiled at Dex, opened his mouth to speak, hesitated and took a sip of tea and leaned into his shoulder instead. His side tingled everywhere Nursey touched. 

“Okay, I know there’s something you guys aren’t telling me. Is there something wrong?” asked Dex, concerned. 

“Nah, bro! Definitely not,” Ransom reassured. “In fact, is there any news you wanted to share?” Holster asked expectantly. He looked like an eager puppy, a giant blond glasses-wearing puppy. 

“I’m not sure I’m following.”

“It’s just,” Bitty laughed, “it seems like someone got a boyfriend. A famous one and never introduced us!” Bitty leaned out of his chair to throw his arms around Dex. His happiness would be contagious if Dex wasn’t so confused. “This is so exciting! You’ll have to bring him around so we can vet him properly.“ Ransom and Holster nodded decisively in agreement. 

Dex looked at his friends in confusion. This didn’t make any sense. “Uhh, no? I’m not dating anyone. I think I would know,” Dex said.

He hadn’t seen Blue since the kiss a week ago. It was the longest time he’d gone without seeing him and it was throwing Dex off. He hadn’t realized he was so used to the guy’s presence, and the absence was strange. 

Nursey, on the other hand, was showing up more frequently. He had started dropping in on Dex during his break and taking lunch with him. Sometimes he even brought baked goods from Bitty.

Dex was quickly discovering more than just his ‘chill’ persona. Nursey passionately talked about the kids he tutored and how much he loved discovering books through their eyes. He complained about school, ranted about writing styles, and waxed poetic about poetry. He would gesture wildly with his fork, eyes sparkling, and almost overbalance on their bench laughing. 

Dex caught himself reaching out to brush a curl from his face more than once. Sometimes, Dex found himself wanting Nursey to sit a little closer, slide his hand along Dex’s, and other embarrassingly mushy things. So, no, Dex was sure he didn’t have a boyfriend, but he knew who he wanted it to be. 

Or so he thought. 

Before Blue had kissed him, Dex would’ve said with certainty that Blue was all meaningless flirting. That no matter what he said, Blue was just friendly and flirted with everyone to distress the situation. Dex had accepted that. Especially since Blue was miles out his league, and not just because he could quite literally outrun most people. 

Dex didn’t know what to think now though. On one hand, beautiful, hilarious, and unchill Nursey. On the other, heroic, flirty, and sweet Blue. Anytime he thought of one, he felt guilty about the other. Had he started something physical with one and something emotional with the other? Was he cheating? Was there even something to cheat on?

To make it worse, Blue wasn’t even around to talk about it. Blue had always found him, and he wasn’t to pull some Bella shit and put himself in danger for the chance to talk to him. And Dex wasn’t sure if Nursey was trying to become closer friends or if they were actually have lunch dates with defining them as such.

Life was not supposed to be this complicated. Thanks, Providence.

“You sure you don’t have a boyfriend, dude? Because the internet says otherwise,” teased Holster. 

He unlocked his phone and tossed it over to Dex, a familiar scene on the screen. His face flooded with heat, embarrassingly matching his hair. 

There on the screen was his kiss with Blue, multiple grainy cellphone pictures plastered across a Blueliner blog. A couple photos showed the kiss itself, with Dex’s hands tangled in Blue’s hair. But the last one of the most shocking. 

It showed Dex when he had drawn back and just after he opened his eyes. He didn’t remember having such a soppy expression on his face, but the evidence was there for the world to see. His feelings were written all over his face. He was screwed. There was absolutely no way to explain away the shock and awe as anything other feelings.

“Why didn’t you tell us you were shacking up with Providence’s resident superhero?!” 

Dex ran his hand over his face, sighing. “Listen guys, it’s not what you think.” Nursey stiffened, fingers clenching briefly around his mug, before forcefully relaxing. “I’ve run into Blueliner a couple times here and there, you know that. But that’s it, okay. I don’t know. There’s nothing going on.”

It wasn’t quite a lie. Dex hadn’t talked to Blue since the kiss, so nothing really was going on. One kiss did not a relationship make. 

Beside Dex, Nursey let out a soft, slightly wounded sound, putting his mug down on his plate with a harsh clatter. “Sorry,” he muttered. He settled back into his spot on the couch, but he wasn’t leaning into Dex anymore.

Lardo narrowed her eyes at the two of them, glancing quickly to Nursey. Out of the corner of his eye, Dex saw Nursey shake his head slightly. 

Noticing that Dex was watching, he spoke, “So Dex, you sure you don’t have the hot deets on the Blueliner? You certainly seem close enough.” Oddly enough, Nursey sounded a little bitter. 

“What are you –“ He tried catching Nursey’s eye. He wouldn’t make eye contact with Dex though. “Come on, Nurse. Don’t be a dick. It was just a kiss.” 

Nursey clenched his jaw. “Right. Just a kiss. Didn’t mean a thing.”

What the fuck was wrong with him. Dex blew out a frustrated breath. “Yes. Do I have to say it again, Nursey?” He scraped at his pie plate with his fork. He really didn’t need to keep rehashing this right now. 

“No, you really don’t. I get it.” 

The bakery was silent. Dex kept glaring at his plate. Nursey sighed. “Sorry, I don’t know what came over me,” he said. Dex shrugged, slumping further into the couch. Fighting with Nursey always made him exhausted.

“Well, as delightful as that was, did I tell you guys what happened the last time I went to visit Shitty?” Lardo asked, drawing attention away from the awkward tension around them. 

Conversation started picking up again, the startled and uncomfortable atmosphere dissipating as quickly as it had formed. Lardo looked Dex and mouthed talk to him.

Dex fidgeted, opening then closing his mouth, the urge to explain himself to Nursey was strong. It was so stupid though. He didn’t have to explain himself to Nursey just because he was getting huffy that Dex had kissed someone. 

Right?

-

The next time Dex saw Blueliner it was outside the convenience store that was being held up. The convenience store Dex was inconveniently trapped inside. Another casual Thursday in Providence. 

Blueliner did his thing and placed the would-be robbers in police custody. As he was helping terrified customers out to the store, he caught sight of Dex. He gave him a quick onceover for injuries, but left without a word. Nothing. Not even a cheesy smile or wink.

That had never happened before.

-

It seemed like Nursey was still holding onto whatever grudge he had with Dex. While he would still see him occasionally at the bakery, Nursey stopped dropping in for their lunch dates. Not dates, breaks. They were just lunch breaks.

-

Providence was a crazy place. Everyone accepted it, but no one really talked about it. No one questioned the fact that they had a legit costumed superhero running around and rustling up a startling number of criminals named Chad. Initially Dex thought there was some conspiracy, but then he found out that all the Chads were lax bros and it just made sense. 

Still, Chads or no Chads, Blueliner had become a point of pride for Providence. He was always kind, generous to those that needed his help, and always intervened when able, no matter how small the situation. Dex had literally seen Blue talking to kids about bullying a smaller kid on the playground. It was unreal. 

He was admirable, and Dex admired.

But he felt used. And the feeling grew the more Blue ignored and avoided him after their kiss.

-

He got his voicemail again. The ‘hey, you’ve reached Nurse’ was practically burned into Dex’s brain. Hanging up, he threw his phone at his bed in frustration. Even that couldn’t go right and the phone bounced and tumbled onto the floor.

-

Today was the day. Today Dex was going to hunt down both Blue and Nursey and fucking talk this out like adults. He was done with this avoidance bullshit, and he was going to figure out why Nursey looked like Dex had strangled his still beating heart. 

Today, he had a plan. A shitty one, but still.

Which was why he was hanging out by the park most local lacrosse teams used. Everyone knew that the Chads used the field as a place to gather under the guise of sports. He’d already seen a few Chads clustering and whispering furtively to themselves, eyes shifting around nervously. 

Dex watched over the newspaper he found on his surveillance bench. He’d been sitting on the cold metal bench for twenty minutes already, but it didn’t seem like he’d have to wait much longer. Chad #1 was gesturing to a bag at his feet, whispering furiously. Chad #2 nodded very seriously, while Chad #3 spaced out drooling over the soccer players. Snapping his fingers in Chad #3’s face, Chad #2 nodded at Chad #1 and picked up the backpack. 

Dex watched as they started leaving the park. Dropping his paper in recycling, he started tailing them, ducking behind trees and pretending to look at signs whenever they looked back. Crossing the street after them, Dex questioned his judgment once again. First moving to Providence and now stalking future criminals. 

Dex continued tailing the Chads until they ended up outside a jewelry store. Now all Dex had to do was wait for Blue to show up and stop the crime. 

God, he hoped this wasn’t like showing up at an ex’s workplace and harassing them.

Dex shook his head, vowing to contemplate that at a later time. The Chads were already bursting into the store, the lone store clerk backing away. It barely took a minute for Blue to come crashing in, which was unusually fast. He must have already been in the area. 

Honestly, why did the Chads even try? Had they ever successfully pulled off a heist? They were like the lamest, least threatening rivals ever. 

Maybe they were Blue fanboys. Now that was a thought.

Okay, go time. Dex darted over to the store, peering inside to check that Blue hadn’t noticed him yet. All clear. He skirted around the busted in windows and walked into the store. Blue turned at the door chime, surprised at the sound.

He blinked dumbly before turning away. “You should g-”

Dex broke in, frustration evident. “No. We’re talking about this. I’m sick of you avoiding me.” He crossed his arms and tried to seem immovable. Blue shifted, glancing longingly at the exit. He met Dex’s glare with a look of his own.

“Fine,” he gritted out, “but I pick the location. And this is not it.”

-

“Alright, what do you want?” 

They were standing on the roof of a nearby apartment building. The view was incredible, but Dex could hardly enjoy it with the conversation they were about to have. Blue still wouldn’t look at him, choosing instead to look past his shoulder. 

“I want you to talk to me. I want you to tell me why you’re avoiding me. I want- I want to fix this.” Now that he finally got Blue here, Dex was exhausted. Blue still wouldn’t look at him. “I assume this is about the kiss, but I really don’t understand what’s going on here. I don’t want to lose your friendship over something like this,” Dex said.

“Look. I’m- I’m sorry. It’s not really your fault.” He finally looked at Dex. “I just thought things were one way and they weren’t, okay. I think I just assumed some stuff.” His shoulders had lost some of the tension he had been carrying since the jewelry store. 

Dex searched his eyes, and only saw honesty. It should have been a relief, but Dex felt far from settled. 

“Okay, look. It’s none of my business, but you can talk to me if you need to. I don’t need to know your real name or face to know that I consider you a friend. I just want-“ Blue’s mouth dropped open and Dex’s words trailed off. “Uhh, are you okay, man?”

“Repeat what you just said.”

“I just want you to feel-“

“No! No, the other thing. About being my friend.” Blue closed the distance between them, never taking his eyes off of Dex. He watched him like his next words were the most important thing in the world.

“Oh, that I don’t need to know your civ identity. You’re still my friend.” Blue didn’t look like he was breathing normally. “Okay look, Blue, you’re starting to worry me. Say something.”

“You don’t know who I am. You have no idea who I am.” His face broke out into a joyous, relieved smile. Dex was grasping at straws, trying to figure out this insane conversation. 

“What? Of course not, why would I know who you are?” Wait. “Hold on. Do I?” Dex stepped back and stared hard, eyes darting all over Blue’s face and body. Broad shoulders, deep dimples, killer thighs, and cheekbones.

No way, holy shit. 

Blue hesitated then decisively moved to remove his mask. Nursey stared at Dex, waiting for his reaction. All Dex could do was stare in return, his only coherent thought at least I don’t have to hunt down Nursey too. 

“This- you’re Blueliner. Blueliner, as in the superhero.” God, that meant Nursey had super strength, and that was not a thought Dex was going to explore right now if he wanted to maintain his dignity. “Oh my god, you choose to be called Blueliner! Could you have chosen a more obvious name? How did I not see this?” Dex said hysterically. He started turning in a circle, running his hands through his hair.

He felt such a strange mix of emotions. Nursey and Blue were literally the same person. So, no accidental cheating, which was great! But that still didn’t explain the avoidance. And the double life. And the superpowers. Only in Providence, man.

He sat down, dropping with more force than he intended, and stretched out his legs. Things were less stressful down here.

Nursey shrugged, one part sheepish and one part giggly relief, and sat down next to Dex. “Yeah, I stopped my first crime on my way back from hockey practice. And I’m a defenseman, so- Blueliner sorta just came out!” Nursey ran a hand through his hair, his smile mirroring Dex’s. “It just kinda stuck. Believe me, it was way better than the ones from those name chart meme things. I legit got Just Another Pussy D’stroyah and Wicked Nutz.”

Dex cackled, tears gathering in his eyes. Of course Nursey would try to name himself using a name chart meme. “Those are horrible, Nurse, like never let you near children horrible. Not even your good looks could save you there, bud.” 

Dex crossed his legs and leaned forward, laughter dying down. “How did I not know? Looking back it seems so clear. Does anyone else know?” 

“Dude, you do know which exhibition I met Lardo at, right?” Dex drew a blank. “Her costume exhibition. I needed something other than spandex.” Dex needed to see that costume asap. “But yeah, just Lardo, man. I, uh, actually thought you had figured it out.”

Nursey watched Dex out of the corner of his eye. “That’s why I was so upset before. I thought you knew who I was, with the whole kiss and the lunch dates. But then you dismissed everything at Bitty’s and it was like it meant nothing to you. I thought we were finally starting something and you were throwing it back in my face.”

“Oh. No, god. Derek, I had no idea.” Dex turned to face Nursey completely, gently taking one of his gloved hands. “I was so confused. You kissed me as Blue, but didn’t talk to me after, and then there were the maybe lunch dates as Derek. I felt like I was being pulled in every direction.” He paused, lifting his hand to cradle Nursey’s cheek in his palm. “I’m really into you, Nursey. Let’s just be clear on that,” Dex laughed.

“Good thing I’m into your oblivious ass too, otherwise this would be really awkward,” Nursey teased.

“Lucky me,” Dex breathed as he leaned in to kiss Nursey.

**Author's Note:**

> Dex: What made you think I had figured out who you were?  
> Nursey: You described kissing me as chill. What was I supposed to think?!  
> Dex: Babe. Babe, no.  
> Nursey: ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
